Washboard-tensioning device



prilzg, 1930. 1; F MADDEN ET AL 1,756,649

WASHBOARD TENS IONING DEVI CE Filed Aug. 2l, 1928 0W@ roZ Patented Apr. 29, 1930 i faire snare JESSE If'. MADDEN, 0F ROCKVILLE CENTER, NEW YORK, AND EDVN E, OVERHOLT, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUIi/BA, ASSIGN'ORS T0 PAGE-MADDEN COMPANY,

INC., F BRGOKLYN, NEW YORK WASHBOARD-TENSIONING DEVICE Application filed August 21, 1928. Serial No. 301,092.

Our invention relates to tensioning devices for use in textile machinery, and more `particularly to 'what is generally designated in the trade as wash-board tensioning devices.

W ith the wash-board tensioning device new in use much annoyance is experienced by the breaking of thethread when the machine starts after having been stopped.

YBroadly speaking, the object of the prescnt invention is to overcome this difficulty, so that the thread will not be broken when the machine'starts.

Other advantages, such as greater dura- -bility, economy, etc., willappear in the subjoined description.

A leading feature of the invention consists in forming a device of this character with an internal recess or open space between its ends in the path traversed by the thread;

' and a device of this character in which one or both of the mating pieces may be formed in sections,fif desired, and thesections `preferably so arranged that each section contributes its appropriate part ofthe recess or opening just referred to, thus making the same a composite recess or opening common to all the sections.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed, reference .being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a perspective view of one of the` similar mating` pieces of one form of our waslrboard tensioning device.

Fig. 2 shows the same formof construction from a different angle, to bring out more clearly the central recess of-our device which is a very important feature thereof.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of a modification in which the device is formed in four pieces, preferably rall of equal length, with the transverse ribs of the lower pieces 4left intact, and with complementary openings formed in the meetingends of the upper sections, whereby the ribs of the upper section are cut away at this opening.

Fig. e is a view showing the device formed in four parts similar to Fig. 3, but with the central opening extending clear through both he upper and lower parts of the device.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View showing the lower part ofthe device formed in ya single piece, and the upper part formed in two'pieces of equal length, with the ribs of both the upper and lower sections lcut away at the centrel of the device to form the central recess; and, Fig. 6 is a perspective view on a somewhat enlarged scale, ofa form'of the device similar to that shown in Fig. 5, except that the lower part, as wellasV the lippen-is divided into two equal parts. v

Referring further to the drawings, the numeral lwindicates one of the' similar mating pieces of one form of our device, as illus! trated in Fig. l, and the character l;L indi- Cates a mating piece of the same form of construction shown in a ydihqerent perspective, inl order to bring tral recess 2.

ln the different figures ofthe drawings, the upper and lower mating pieces are provided at their ends with the slightrecesses 3 to hold the threads against lateral play.

In all the forms of the device, the sections have the transverse ribs el with'the trough or out` morel clearly the cen-y valley spaces 5 between them, so arranged that when two mating sections are put together, the ribs of each section fit into the trough spaces of the other, in the usual way.

ln the form of the device shown in Figs.V

l, 2,' 5 and 6 of the drawings, the` central recess is a closed recess when the respective n'iating pieces are in operative relation to each other. a l

In Fig, the recess is open on top; and in Fig. 4, both the bottom and the top of the recess are Vcut away', so aste form a hole atA the centre of the device where all the sections meet.

ln Fig. 5 we have shown the lower part of v jper and lower partsof the device each formed in twol sections, all the sections being preferably of the same length, and each section recessed or cut away at the point where they all four meet, in a way to provide one central recess or cutaway portion.`

For purposes of convenience and discrimination in reference we have indicated the composite recess in Fig. 3, by the numeral 8;

the central openingin Fig. 4, bythe numeral 9; theV composite recess in F ig. 5, by the numeral l0; and that in Fig. 6, bythe numeralll.

In operation, the thread l2 (as. indicated in Figs. 3 and t) passes longitudinally through the tensioning device, the two mating pieces of which are held together in a suitable supporting frame on the machine with which they happen to be used. It is well known that a section of threadV or yarn of any considerable length, when being unwound; from al skein,or4 ball, or spool, has a practically uncontrollable tendency. to sway back. and forth laterally, as it is unwound at one end and wound up ortaken up at the other end; and the faster themachinery is running, the worse will be this swaying backy andv forth of the thread, which isknown in the trade as looping or ballooning.

One of the principal uses'of 'thesewashboard tensioning devicesis to prevent this looping and ballooning as far as possible,

but due to irregularities in the thread, and in n the twist,and inthe disposition of the twist totravel inthe thread when pressed between the -two mating pieces ofthe tensioning de# vice, and due to irregularitiesin different parts of the contacting surfaces of the tensioning devices, and perhaps for other reasons, the threads, if permitted to travel across a shortV vacant space between the mating pieces of the tensioning device, will tend to form a bend'or loopin that space. Whenthe.

machines are running fast, and thenv are stopped, the tendency ofthetwist in the thread to readj ust itself will tend to make a loop in the thread where there is a section of 'it left free from pressure. Such a loop is indicated i by 12a in Figs. 3 and l'. `When the machine stops, the vportions of thread: thatare pressed between the.y two mating plates will have to u remain about as they, were, but in the free section of thread extending across the cen* tral opening 9 (Fig. 4), the, twist in` the thread l(which twist is always disturbed vwhile being run between two surfaces pressing'on opposite sidesfof it) will equalize itself, and-inthe effort todo so will tend to j make abend in that section, as is the nature of twistedv thread to do.

But the question, naturally arises, as to what advantage comes from having the loop l2 formed in the tensioning device; and that brings us toa consideration of the essential4 facts relative to the utilityof the invention,

which facts are. asY follows:.-These washone badv defect already` referred to: just as the machine starts up after having stopped, they break the thread with distressingfre-l quency. V\7hen the machine is once started,

then they work all right. If `the tension is be in danger of breaking in starting, that is not as much tension as is needed for the best made suiiiciently light for the threads not to work after the'machine is going; and thence the problem is Ato leave the tension as it is, andi Y all that friction; and that isk what breaks the thread.

Now, with our improved devicethat unfavorable situation and outcomefis remedied, for the thread has a loop 12a at its` centre, which loop portion is not in frictionalcontact with the ribs of the tensioning device (because the ribs at that point are cut away) ,v

and therefore, when the machine starts going, strain is imposed on the upper end of the thread downto that loop, and. thenthe loop straightens before the further str ain of starting the rest of the thread is imposed on the thread. That is to say; the part of the thread Y this wayk the starting strain/imposed onthe thread, instead of being taken up. all at once as by thefold method,"is taken upl'by4 'our method in three installments, as follows iirst,the portion of thread in the upper part ofthe tensioning device; secondly,the loop 12eL which is next straightened out; and,`

thirdly/,the portion of the thread in the lower part of the tensioning device.

ln addition to the above, attention is called to one other fact, namely; that: practically all twisted threads are more or lesselastic, when Vleft free and out' of frictional Contact with other bodies; and hence the loopy 12a being a .In the next place, the factlthat the mating-v pieces of our tensioning device-arevformed in sections, really provides, asl it were, a loose .free section of thread', of a material length, Y

joint at the middle of the device, which permits the separate parts of the device toyieldf Vindependently of each other, to the strain suddenly imposed upon. thel thread wheny the machine starts. It isa facttoo well known.`

to need any elaboration, that a very'slight yielding often saves abreak; and therefore,

the very fact that our device is formed of a plurality of pieces movable independently of leach other, is a point of practical importance independently of the recess or opening at the centre.

Another point not to be overlooked is this, that experience has proved that these tensioning devices, in order to work to the best advantage, must be of considerable length in order to give the requisite amount of frictional resistance without too much pressure.

This is found to be much better than a shorter tensioning device with the mating pieces more firmly pressed together.v For this reason these tensioning deviceshave to be three or four inches long; and a piece of porcelain that long is veryliable to break if itfalls; and hence breakage runs high in the ordinary two-piece washboard tensioning device. But when one or both of the mating pieces is made in two sections, the liability of one ofthe short sections to break'when it falls on the floor, is greatly diminished. But if it is broken, there is still only that one short piece to be replaced. Moreover, if one of the pieces gets worn and has to be replaced, it is only onel little section that has to be replaced, instead of the whole upper or lower half of the device, as in the ordinary washboard tensioning device. Hence it will be seen that there is a considerable economy effected in our form of the device, apart from the fact that the forming of the device in a plurality of parts that will yield to the various strains imposed upon them, will of itself cause the device to Wear longer than the old form'of tensioning device. v

Inasmuch as our device provides a certain degree of slackness in the thread instead of tautness, as in the old form, it insures a better product, due mainly to the fact that there is far less breakage of the yarn. This also helps to increase production.

In certain kinds of very line work, it has been found impossible to operate with the ordinary Washboard tension device, since there is practically no let-up on the tension when the machine is stopped, and therefore the thr-ead remains taut. Hence, at the starting of the machine, the tension on the very fine strands of silk is so great that they break.

This is entirely eliminated by the cut-out section in our device, which allows just enough slackness to insure easy starting. Therefore our new tensioning device has a Wider range of work than the old devices, which fact is accentuated by the further consideration, that not only is our device suited to all kinds of work from the finest to the coarsest drawings of silk, but will also function pci-- fectly under all other conditions such as dry and Wet Winding.

C5 The uniqueness of our arrangement is further accentuated by the fact that recent'at tempts to improve these tensioning devices show the provision of means apparently inthan formerly, if such were possible, whereas our device looks in exactly the opposite direction, and provides means for producing al certain amount of slackness in the thread-,- the Vvery opposite of what has heretofore been attempted. Y i

The great practical value of having slack tendedto hold the threads nioretaut even in a thread is shown in a general way, in .the j operation of sewing machines, in which 'the thread, at each change in the direction of` the movement of the needle'is rendered slack at the start, with the result that a sewing ma. chine can be run by electricity at an almost unbelievable rate of speed with little .or no danger of breaking the. finest thread.A

In order to insure a perfect tension, the ordinary two-section tensioning device must be inserted in the holder in perfect alineinent therewith, and that requires the services of a skilled mechanic. Inaddition to that, any other very important consideration is that the back-faces of the sections must be ab` solutely level or even. But due to the exces- `sive heat required in the baking of these ordij In considering this feature of the case, it

must be borne in mind that the length ofthe sections must be maintained; and that this,` length, being very considerable, adds greatly to the tendency of the sections toi-Warp in theV 1 baking. v

It is manifest that so much waste in the final operation of manufacture makes the devices expensive. But in our now three or four piece device, the sections, due to Vtheir shortness, can be turned out more nearly'perfect, as to straightnessand freedom from i Warp, and hence are more easily held vin .perfect alinement; and at the same time the cost of production is greatly reduced.

F rom the foregoing it will be seen that We have produced a washboard tensioning de# vice with greatly reduced liability to breakage; one that is durable and economical, andv which, in the quality of its performance, f

marks a decided advance on the previous art.

Having now described the principles of our invention, and shown some of the ways in which its principles inaylbe rappliedto actual use, what we claim as new, and desire f to protect by Letters VPatent vis l. A device of the character described,icom prising upper and lower mating pieces for pressing the thread, the upper mating piece 4j 1 p v A 1,756,649 i being formedV in sections, the device being provided with Va cutaway portionin the path ofthe thread at the point where said sections meet, wherebyL tofree a section of thegt-hread Y from pressure.

2. A deviceof the vcharacter described,1coniprisiiig a plurality of upper and lower inatj ing'pieces, each of saidv pieces having avrecess comprising upper and lower mating plates formed in equal sections, Vsaid sections. being. recessed at the common meet-ing point of' all of said sections, said recesses being arranged to combine iiitooiie large recess'loeated: in the path of the thread. as it traversesthe device.

4; A device. of the character described,

comprising upper and lower mating pieces for exerting a clamping pressure on. .the thread, the upper mating piece being formed in two equal sections, whereby to render-said upper mating piece capable of slight yield'- iiig ati its central portion.

54A device of the character described,

comprising upper and lower mating pieces for exerting clamping I pressure on the thread, with each'of'-said'pieces-being formed intwoequal sections, whereby torender the device yielding at its central portion.

s G. Adevice ofthe characterdescribed, comprising mating pieces for applying'fric-V tional pressure upon the threads passing Y therebetween, the device being:dividedmidway between its ends, to render it flexible at Vits centre; and being also provided with means for relieving the frictiona'l pressure upon a section of the thread at said point of division. v e l 7.. Arlevice yof the character described, comprisingmat-ing plates ineface to. face engagement with each other and` arranged for Vthe thread to pass between their meeting faces, said l plates beingv provided between their endsoii their respective contacting faces .in the path of the thread, with complementary cutaway portions uniting' to forma sin- -gle'recess through which thethreadf passes withoutV obstruction; whereby the section of thread'A progressively passingV through said recess is 'free to straighten itself' and to play laterally in the recess.

' 8.' A*A device of; the character described, comprising mating.y plates` inface'toface vengagement with each other and arranged for the thread to pass between their meeting faces, .Y said plates' being proyide'd' between. their ends on` Vtheir respective contactingA faces,.in the path ofthe thread, with coinplenientary cutaway. portions uniting to forni a single, recess'. through which thek thread 3.`A device of the character described,

passes without obstruction, said'plates beingv provided on their meeting faces with transcesses being formed by cutting-away aplurality of adjacent corrugations in each platek at thepoiiit where the recess occurs; whereby to cause said recess to extend a material dis-V tance in the direction,- of the longitudinalextent of the thread.

9. A device as, set forth claimV 7'., the`v meeting faces of said mating plates being inv continuous engagement Ywith the whole portion of thread received therebeteween exceptr o the section spanning said composite recess.

l0. A device of the character described, comprising'mating plates inrface to-faceengageinentv with each other arranged' for the -Verse corrugations; said complementary ref thread to pass between their meeting faces,.

said plates being'provided on their respective contacting faces, in the path of the thread, with complementary cutaway'pon4 tions uniting to form a single'recessthrough which the thread passes without obstruction;

said plates being provided on their meeting faces with transversecorrugations; said coinpleinentary recesses being formed by cutting away a plurality of adjacent corrugationsin each plate at the. point where. the recess occurs; whereby to cause saidvrecess to-extend a material distance in the direction of the lion'-V gitudinal extent of the thread ,'saidplatesbe.- n

ing provided with guide notches `for the threadl inthe end corrugations of the plates,

said recessesbeinglocatedbetween said guide notches in alinementwithfthem." f

In testimony whereof we affix our signa Y tures.

` l JESSEJ F. MADDEN.

EDWIN OVV'E'RHLT. j 

